Rugosity is derived from gridded (5 m cell size)
multibeam bathymetry, collected aboard NOAA Ship Hiialaka'i
and R/V AHI, using the Benthic Terrain Modeler with rugosity
methods by Jeff Jenness (2003). Cell values reflect the surface
area and (surface area) / (planimetric area) ratio for the area
contained within that cell's boundaries. They provide indices of
topographic roughness & convolutedness. This data set is for
the shelf environment of French Frigate Shoals, Hawaii, USA.

Purpose:

The data were derived in support of NOAA Coral Reef Conservation
Program goals. Goal 1 is to map all U.S. Coral Reef Ecosystems.
This data set specifically addresses Objective 1 and 4: to develop
high-resolution benthic maps and to characterize priority deep
water reefs and associated habitats. This derivative of
bathymetry provides a GIS layer that may be used for benthic and
essential fish habitat characterization, and for the study of
geologic features. By combining the dataset with bathymetry,
backscatter, other derivatives, and in situ data, they
collectively compose benthic habitat maps which are designed to
be used to understand and predict moderate depth (~20m - 150m)
benthic habitats for different organisms that inhabit coral reef
ecosystems.

These data are not to be used for navigation purposes. Please acknowledge the NOAA Pacific Islands Fisheries
Science Center (PIFSC) Coral Reef Ecosystem Division (CRED) and
the Pacific Islands Benthic Habitat Mapping Center, and the
Joint Institute for Marine and Atmospheric Research (JIMAR) and
School of Ocean and Earth Science and Technology (SOEST),
University of Hawaii as the sources of this information.

Data are collected for resource
management and research purposes and are tested for
internal consistency; however, no effort is made to compare
these data to external references or to other published data.

Logical_Consistency_Report:

These data are believed to be logically
consistent though no tests were performed

Rugosity was derived from the gridded multibeam bathymetry
(FFS_5m) using the Benthic Terrain Modeler (BTM). The BTM may
be downloaded from <http://www.csc.noaa.gov/products/btm/>. The BTM,
written for ArcGIS 8.x or 9.x, includes a component for deriving
rugosity using methods by Jeff Jenness as he wrote for ArcView 3.x.

These data are not to be used for navigational purposes.
NOAA makes no warranty regarding these data, expressed or implied,
nor does the fact of distribution constitute such a warranty.
NOAA cannot assume liability for any damages caused by any errors
or omissions in these data, nor as a result of the failure of
these data to function on a particular system.

Standard_Order_Process:

Digital_Form:

Digital_Transfer_Information:

Format_Name: Arc ASCII

Format_Information_Content:

Arc ASCII can be converted to Arc Raster
using ArcToolbox Conversion Tools (ASCIItoRaster).